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In tribute to Jack Layton, CN Tower to go orange

Following an outpouring from Star readers and other Torontonians, the CN Tower will be illuminated the colour of the “orange crush” on the evening of Jack Layton’s funeral.

The CN Tower will be illuminated in orange Saturday evening in honour of Jack Layton. (DAVID COOPER / TORONTO STAR) | Order this photo

One of many chalk tributes to Jack Layton at Toronto City Hall. (KATIE DAUBS / TORONTO STAR) | Order this photo

By Thestar.com

Wed., Aug. 24, 2011

Following an outpouring on Twitter from Star readers and other Torontonians, the CN Tower will be illuminated in the colour of the “orange crush” on the evening of Jack Layton’s funeral.

“We wanted to let you know that on Saturday, August 27 from sundown to sunrise, the CN Tower will be lit orange to honour the passing of the Honourable Jack Layton,” Patrick Leavey, the Tower’s marketing manager, wrote to the Star in an email.

Fitted with intelligent lights controlled by a computer, any of the fixtures mounted to the tower can produce 16.7 million colours.

The CN Tower was due to be lit orange for the opening of the Toronto International Film Festival opening night on Sept. 8.

But what is a more permanent way for Jack Layton be honoured in Toronto? Star readers have been sending us their suggestions from renaming Dundas Square to setting up a Layton think-tank in remembrance for the former NDP leader.

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Here is a selection of the ideas we have received so far. Send your thoughts on how Layton should be remembered in the city he called home to webmaster@thestar.ca.

Many of you think that a park would be a fitting remembrance of Layton’s environmental legacy.

“The port lands area is in Jack’s riding, and I think any new public space there should be named after him. Hopefully, a park or facility that families can enjoy at no cost!”

- Robert Parsons

“I think it would be great to rename Riverdale Park, or at least part of it, for Jack Layton. It's one of the most beautiful views of Toronto, and it's a lovely place for biking. It's also in his riding.”

- David Lightfoot

Others wanted to honour his work in education.

“Establish the Jack Layton Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship would be awarded to students who wish to take up educational programs in the area of politics at Ryerson University where Layton took a teaching job in 1974.”

- Kevin Crannie

Or his activism in helping the poor.

“Currently Toronto has a very small, impermanent homeless memorial buried behind the Eaton Centre at Holy Trinity Church. Since Layton made housing the homeless a top legislative and ideological priority (even writing two books on the topic), Toronto should honour Layton by including a permanent, updateable Homeless Memorial in the current redesign of Nathan Phillips Square. The Memorial might be similar to the AIDS Memorial in Cawthra Park and would be named in honour of Jack Layton.”

- Doug Johnson Hatlem

“I think the best tribute to him would be to build the Jack Layton Co-operative housing project. It would be best if this was an environmentally green project. He was in favour of green projects. He also was a co-op housing supporter and tried to deal with the issue of homelessness. This project could deal with all these issues. It would provide much needed affordable housing for people that could otherwise be homeless. It would be especially nice if this could be built in his riding.”

- Linda Galbraith

Many readers wanted to light up the town in memory of the “orange crush.”

“While a lot of people have suggested painting the CN Tower orange, I rather like the idea of just lighting it up orange from now until the morning after his funeral. I imagine it wouldn’t be too hard to do, wouldn’t cost a lot of money, wouldn’t disrupt the environment too much, and it would still be a great symbol.”

- Heather Prophet

And then there are the streets and squares that could be renamed.

“He definitely needs a street named after him in Toronto. I would suggest possibly Broadview Avenue becoming Jack Layton Avenue, since it's where his constituency office is, and that neighbourhood is the home to many of his most loyal supporters, including myself.”

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